In his $4 trillion budget request to Congress, Obama also says he wants to change the way money from offshore oil and gas production is shared with Gulf Coast states, by diverting more of those dollars to national programs with “broad” natural resource and conservation benefits. More »

Sen. Mary Landrieu takes over the chairmanship of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, giving the Louisiana Democrat a boost in her reelection campaign and putting an oil industry ally in a powerful Senate role. More »

The federal government collected a near-record haul in fees and royalty payments from oil and gas drilling on public lands and U.S. waters during the last fiscal year, the Interior Department announced Tuesday. All told, the federal government collected $14.2 billion from the activity; Texas’ share was $17 million. More »

A congressional proposal to give coastal states a greater share of government royalties tied to oil and gas drilling would increase the federal debt by more than $49 billion over the next three decades, according to new analysis set to be released Friday. More »

The House on Friday passed legislation that would expand offshore drilling by forcing the federal government to swiftly sell new oil and gas leases along the coasts of California, South Carolina, Virginia and any other states where governors say they want the work. More »

Sen. Mary Landrieu isn’t picking a fight with Wyoming, and she says she has nothing against the Great Plains state. But the Democratic senator from Louisiana insists Wyoming is exhibit A in an argument that coastal states are getting a raw deal when it comes to collecting federal dollars tied to energy development. More »

The federal government would be forced to make decisions on offshore drilling before fully scrutinizing how the work would affect coral and other ocean life under legislation advancing in the House, conservationists and a marine biologist warned Congress on Tuesday. More »

Interior Secretary Sally Jewell and a top deputy are grilled before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on issues ranging from oil drilling on federal lands to how endangered species listings could affect energy development. More »

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and five fellow Republicans from other coastal states on Monday implored the Obama administration to open new areas for offshore drilling, saying the change would give a jolt to the U.S. economy by spurring jobs and spending. More »

New Senate legislation would allow Alaska to collect 37.5 percent of federal dollars tied to oil and gas drilling in Arctic waters near the state, the same share that Gulf Coast states are counting on beginning in 2017. More »

A Louisiana Democrat and Alaska Republican are looking to use the lure of guaranteed federal funding for state restoration programs as a way to draw support for a new plan to give coastal states a share of offshore drilling revenue. More »

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